Museum Advocacy: LGBTQ Community Projects

In our last class we talked about issues in the LGBTQ community. One issue the LGBTQ community faces is adolescents that are getting bullied because of their sexual identity and considering or attempting suicide. The following are two programs that provide support and resources for adolescents that feel like they are alone in dealing with issues of sexual identity and bullying.

The Trevor Project was created in 1998 by the producers of the Academy Award winning film Trevor. The Trevor Project is a crisis and suicide prevention resource for LGBTQ adolescents ages 13-24. The Trevor Project provides support for many LGBTQ adolescents.

Another program, the It Gets Better Project is a national and international program that provides resources for LGBT adolescents who are being bullied and feel like they do not have support. Founded in 2010 by author Dan Savage, he and his partner Terry Miller created a YouTube video to give hope to LGBT young adults. “The It Gets Better Project was created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach – if they can just get through their teen years.”

Museums have a responsibility to advocate for their diverse communities and meet the needs of their diverse museum visitors. Museum professionals need to consider how they can help the LGBTQ community. They can do this by providing a safe space to facilitate dialogue about issues in the gay community and create programs to support inclusion of the LGBTQ community in museums. I believe that if museum professionals learn about these projects and find way to support them, then we can be at the forefront of community engagement. Museum professionals can create dialogue training programs, exhibits, and educational programs about LGBTQ community issues. If museums create exhibits and educational programs about projects like the Trevor Project and It Gets Better Project, and about LGBTQ issues, then we will make a difference for adolescents and individuals in the LGBTQ community.